Need some reassurance - nappy horse

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goodtimes

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I have owned this horse for 6 months now. I bought him knowing he hadn't had much schooling. 8 year old cobx

He is nice and fit, we spend the weekends out hacking, going for a good canter. He is a bit spooky but usually as good as gold.

During the week I can only ride in the school - dark nights. For the first 10/15 mins he is horrible - nappy, not forward thinking, bucks if I back up my leg with the whip - then all of a sudden, its like the light switches on and he works beautifully.

I'm starting to get fed up now as everytime I go in the school I know I have to have this behaviour before we can get some nice work done. I have to force myself to ride during the week.

Anyone else ? Or is it just me and my lad?
 
He must hate it - probably can't see the point in going round and round and getting nowhere. I'd surprise him! Make it interesting/exciting. Bring a ghetto blaster (showing my age!) to your schooling and crank it up to as loud as it'll go and do some riding to music. Work out a ridden routine to music! Set up an obstacle course of seriously unexpected things in the school and go round them and between them at various speeds. Teach him some tricks. Stick some weird jumps up, teensy baby ones you can step over if you don't jump him. Play some solo gymkhana games on him, like thunder down to the end of the school in gallop, screaming handbrake turn then trot back. Do some Trec type stuff, eg do one circuit of the school in your slowest canter. If he breaks back to trot you lose! Then do it again in your fastest trot. If he canters you lose again. Have some fun! And if all else fails, treat yourself to a whip-whop rope. Just a thick piece of soft rope knotted at the ends. 1st time you ask him to move forwards, you ask politely with legs. If he ignores you, 2nd time is stronger legs. If he still refuses, slap him immediately whip, whop either side of his neck just flipping the rope lazily, but unexpectedly! He should shoot forward in horror so be expecting it. Unlikely but if he STILL refuses, you just have to do what it takes even if that means you start whooping like a banshee, blowing a whistle, crashing 2 saucepan lids together etc etc. But hold on tight lol x
 
My cob used to do this. Although not "cold backed" in the traditional sense the numnah and saddle are quite cold this time of year. Having read a suggestion on the forum we found if we warmed the numnah it would reduce and sometimes eliminate any antics. (Or I suppose lack of them.)

We opt for wrapping a hot water bottle in the numnah on the way to the yard. But on the occasions when we have forgotton leaving the numnah and saddle on, girth loosely fastened, for about 15 - 20 minutes allows it to warm up to his body temperature before we put weight on it.

The rest of the cob grumps are more about having a delayed dinner. Can't do much about that....
 
Thanks for the replies - it does seem to have happened now winter is upon us.

I understand he is not keen on schooling so will make an effort to make it more exciting.

Yesterday he so so 'thinking backwards' at first that I couln't get more than a couple of strides of trot at first - but like I said - after 10 minutes, the light switches on and he works beautifully.
 
Mine can be like this in the cold. I whizz her round on the lunge for 5 mins and then she behaves herself. If it's warmer / not windy / daytime / hacking out, then I don't bother and she's fine :rolleyes:
 
Just a thought

It could be the food. Mine started napping after about 3 months of having him. Haved switched him to a high fibre diet and all the theatricals have stopped. Might be worth a try
 
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